title: Factors affecting quality of life of asthma patients in Spain: the importance of patient education.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Assessment of demographic and clinical factors that have an impact on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with asthma in Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicenter, prospective, observational, cohort study, conducted in 40 Spanish Pneumology Units during a 12-month period. Data on sociodemographic, clinical variables, asthma treatment and QoL were collected in a case report form.
  
  
  RESULTS
  536 patients (64.6% women, mean age: 54) were recruited. Reported QoL was better for patients from Northern and Central Spain as compared with those from the South and the East (p<0.001), students and employed patients as compared with housewives and unemployed (p<0.01), for those who had received asthma information (p<0.01), for those with milder daytime symptoms (p<0.01) and for patients with higher level of education (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among the factors that have a significant effect on patients' QoL only symptom control and patient education on asthma control are modifiable. Therefore, all the strategies should be tailored to improve such factors when managing asthma patients.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Dr. Peset, Valencia, Spain. Electronic address: evamartinezmoragon@gmail.com.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martínez-Moragón
authors.affiliation: Hospital Sagunto, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palop
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario La Fe, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Diego
authors.affiliation: Hospital General de Vic, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.affiliation: Hospital Gandia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pellicer
authors.affiliation: Hospital Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Casán
authors.affiliation: Merck, Sharp & Dohme de España S.A., Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Caloto
authors.affiliation: Merck, Sharp & Dohme de España S.A., Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nocea
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D013030:Spain; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Asthma; Education; Quality of life